Back to Massachusetts

28 June 2025: Spent most of the day in the car with Jane, heading up to Massachusetts for a few days. A bit tired as I write this, but ready for a full day tomorrow. 

Tote painting...

17 May 2025: After a strage start and hard start to the day--meeting with the claims adjustor for my parents' house--I was glad to spend the afternoon with Jane. We painted these tote bags that came as part of an arts & crafts subscription for adults subscription that Erin and her family gave me for Christmas. Then we got lunch in town and ice-cream at Rockhill Creamery. Just a really nice day.

My tote; I am so bad at art, so I went for simple and Whitman-esque.

Jane's tote, which is much prettier and much more ambitious!

Keep going...

20 January 2025: What else to do on a day like today but...keep going? Keep doing what you need to do, loving and supporting those you love, and praying and working to make things better.

In a more granual sense, for me, that mostly meant staying close to home (snow and ice played a role in that), working the book, and spending nearly two hours on a video chat with Jane, Allison, Heather, and Beth. All of that helped to push back against the darkness. 

Day one of a new, dark reality, but we keep going. 

Update, 7:41 p.m.: Just feels worth recording this because emotions and grief and today are so weird: just now, "crop duster" was an answer on Jeopardy! and I giggled and thought, 'I should tell Ryan that,'" like I could just call him up or he was in the other room. Just a second, if that. And then the "oh, wait..."

Williamsburg with Mike and Allison

28 December 2024: On our way back home, Jane and I stopped in Colonial Williamsburg and met up with Mike and Allison. It was really nice to spend time with them, walking around the decorated town, having lunch, and catching up.  

(Bummed that I didn't get any pictures!)

Winterfest on the Wisconsin

27 December 2024:

[Catch-up post...]

Ducked away on a quick road trip with Jane down to Norfolk to go to Winterfest on the Wisconsin. Really charming, whimsical, and magical!

Herndon WinterMarkt

14 December 2024: Had a delightful day with Jane at the Herndon WinterMarkt. We didn't buy much--just a couple of things (both from the same booth!)--but wandered and people-watched. We got lunch at booth selling various waffle-products on sticks, including waffledogs and dessert-y flavors. And despite me saying, "We have to take a picture this time," we didn't. But it was a good day.

Another Jane Day...

26 October 2024: Woke up feeling down and anxious, but then felt immediately grateful that Jane and I had--during our last hang-out--already scheduled our next hang-out for today. I drove her way this time. Wandered around The Painted Tree (first time I have been to one), had lunch, then went over to Target for Halloween candy. A bit more visiting and then I headed home. A lovely day that left me feeling better. 

Big old BabyCat jar...

24 August 2024: Had a great visit from Jane today. We did birthday gifts, walked through an antique mall in Boonsboro, got some lunch, and just talked and talked like we do. Remarkably, I only took a single picture of this huge jar that looks like a bizarro and terrifying Veronica. It was almost worth buying it (at $60) just to get a picture of her next to it. But alas, I resisted the urge.

25th Reunion

20 April 2024: 

[Catch-up post]

Nearly twenty-five years since I graduated from Roanoke and getting close to twenty-nince years since I met this group of women (and Mike!) who have been such blessings in my life. 

Gifts with Jane

29 December 2023: One of the highlights of every holiday season is getting together with Jane to exchange gifts and just hang out for awhile. We talk about big ideas and all the serious stuff, but laugh our heads off, too. Never fails to hit the spot.

Birthday celebrating with Jane...

26 August 2023: Kind of mad that we forgot to take a single picture, but Jane drove out here this afternoon for a visit/mutual-birthday celebration. And she got to meet Jo. (Not surprisingly, they are already good friends.) We had brunch, walked around town, got some DQ for dessert, and then opened our respective gifts. Oh, and she showed me her shiny new car. 

Nothing like a Jane Hang-Out. No one makes me laugh quite the way (like, the actual sound of my laughter) she does. 

Allison and Mike

1 July 2023:

[Catch-up post]

Filled with so many emotions and so much love for Allison and Mike.

Reunited for the wedding weekend...

30 June 2023: 

[Catch-up post]

A "two festival" day...

3 June 2023: Had a blast hanging out with Jane today, first at the Herndon Festival and then at the Reston Pride Festival. Always, always, always restores my soul to hang out with Jane. 

Call Jane

24 May 2023: Last night, I almost called Jane because I made a dumb joke that Amy didn't laugh at that I knew she would have and it made me want to talk to her. Today, I saw the icon for Call Jane on the FireTV home screen and was like, "Okay, universe! On it!" And I called her. And it was awesome. Like it always is, even when things are hard in our lives. 

Rudolph time...

11 December 2022: Got to see Jane and her sisters, brother-in-law, and niece and nephew today. I hadn't seen her family since before COVID, so that was special. Then all of us (except Patrick) took in a community theater production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which was very cute. 

Grateful for chances to embrace blessings...

Jane Day

5 September 2022: 

[Catch-up post]

A "Jane Day" is always a good day. She came into town, we had lunch, traded birthday gifts, and just hung out. You know someone is a good friend when that's all you need to do. 

Jane-Christmas

30 December 2021: Got together with Jane today to do the whole present thing. We just basically hung out at her place, got some lunch delivered, took a walk, and just chilled. It was wonderful. 

Balance Day

11 September 2021: 

[Catch-up post]

My work-less day went pretty well except for one minor disaster. Jane and I planned a mutual birthday-get-together for Saturday. After telling myself for weeks not to forget Jane's gift...I forgot Jane's gift, realizing when I was about 40 minutes into my drive. I cried when I realized it and burst into tears again when I got to her apartment. So that was a thing. (And signs--both the forgetting and the flood of tears--that I needed a day off.)

Despite my tears and forgotten present, I had a great time with Jane, walking around Reston Town Center (where there was a fine arts fair going in), going to Trader Joe's (my first time ever!), and just hanging out. It was lovely.

When I got back to Shepherdstown, Amy and I had dinner and then went to one of Dow and Annette's backyard concerts. Perfect night.

Norfolk Reunion, Last Day

25 July 2021: Seven years ago, I was with some of these dear friends the day I learned about Ryan's death. In the aftermath of that, this friend group really helped sustain me, as they have through every challenge. We've sustained, supported, and taken care of each other, including when we lost Shannon. It was a kind of special synergy to be with them again this morning before we headed home.